The event will feature food & drinks, silent & live auctions, Community Rock Star awards, and live music & dancing, with performances by MAMM student bands and very special guests The Awesome!

All proceeds will benefit MAMM’s community outreach and scholarship programs, serving over 1,200 Maine students annually.

2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED!

Maine Academy of Modern Music (MAMM) is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2018 CHORDS FOR KIDS "Rock Stars In Our Communities" Awards: Mary Allen Lindemann of Coffee By Design, Chris Hunt of the Hunt Foundation, music educator Allen Thomas, Reverb founders Lauren Sullivan and Adam Gardner and local radio host Aimsel Ponti.

Mary Allen Lindemann of Coffee By Design will receive the 2018 Community Sponsor Award for her many years promoting, supporting and advocating for Maine’s arts and culture community. “Mary Allen has been a true guiding star in Portland’s art and music scene for more than 20 years,” said Jeff Shaw, MAMM's executive director. “As a business leader, she recognizes and promotes the value local culture adds to Portland’s vibrancy, and puts her money where her mouth is with real investments in Portland’s creative people.” In addition to being one of MAMM’s earliest champions, Mary Allen has supported countless arts and cultural organizations, artists and musicians through such programs as CBD’s Rebel Blend Art Fund.

FOUNDATION PARTNER AWARD – CHRIS HUNT, HUNT FOUNDATION

The 2018 Foundation Partner Award will recognize the many contributions by Chris Hunt (aka Dr. Drum) and the Hunt Foundation to Maine’s arts and cultural community. A generous contributor to many cultural institutions in Maine, the Hunt Foundation has been instrumental in MAMM’s growth by supporting expansions to our locations on Presumpscot and Casco Streets. “Chris is already 'off-the-charts' cool, but this year we shine a spotlight on the generous contributions by Chris and the Hunt Foundation to MAMM and, ultimately, to music education for Maine kids,” said MAMM Board President Deb Ivy.

MUSIC COMMUNITY LEADER AWARD – AIMSEL PONTI

Local radio host Aimsel Ponti is receiving the 2018 Music Community Leader award for her tireless promotion and advocacy of local music for more than 15 years. “Aimsel has been our go-to MC for many epic MAMM events like our annual Girls Rock! show,” said Shaw. “She lights up the room with genuine enthusiasm for each and every student on stage. We are endlessly grateful for her support.”

MAINE MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARD – ALLEN THOMAS

The 2018 Maine Music Educator Award will go to Allen Thomas, Choir Director at Bonny Eagle High School and Chairperson of the District One Maine Music Educators Association. Thomas was selected from an impressive pool of candidates from across Maine because his work exemplifies MAMM’s mission of building leadership through the musical arts. “We were most impressed by Allen’s real efforts to cultivate leadership skills in his students and empower them to take charge of their craft and music performances,” said Shaw.

FOUNDERS AWARD – LAUREN SULLIVAN AND ADAM GARDNER

This year’s Founders Award will go to Lauren Sullivan and her musician husband, Adam Gardner of Guster, who are co-founders of the Portland-based nonprofit Reverb REVERB was founded in 2004 to inspire millions of music lovers and music makers to take part in tackling today’s most pressing environmental and social issues. Initially a project of Bonnie Raitt’s ARIA Foundation before becoming an independent nonprofit, REVERB now partners with musicians on tour across the U.S. such as Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson, Maroon 5, John Mayer, and Barenaked Ladies. “Lauren and Adam are true community leaders, leveraging their personal passions and talents to benefit the common good,” said Shaw.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP AWARD – EMMA IVY

MAMM surprised its audience at Chords For Kids with the announcement of its first-ever Student Leadership Award which was presented to Emma Ivy. Emma has been participating in MAMM programming for the last 7 years, including camps, lessons, the MAMMOTH Rock Chorus, and is a member of MAMM’s first all-girl rock band, Yard Sail, which won the 2017 MAMM SLAM: Maine’s High School Rock Off. “Emma rocks and I can’t think of another student more worthy of this award” says Shaw. “She’s the perfect MAMM kid. She understands that music means more than just playing the right notes at the right time—that it is a community building tool, and one that she wields with confidence and grace. It has been an absolute pleasure working with her and I look forward to watching all that she will achieve”.

Chords For Kids is made possible by the generous support of our sponsors:

At last year's gala, MAMM presented its 2017 CHORDS FOR KIDS "Rock Stars In Our Communities" Awards to the Quimby Family, WCYY's Mark Curdo,and University of Maine Professor Eugene Nichols:

MAINE MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARD - EUGENE NICHOLS

The 2017 Maine Music Educator Award will go to Eugene Nichols, Professor of Music at the University of Maine at Machias whose creative approach to learning helped inspire Shaw’s vision to bring contemporary music education programs to Maine youth. At UMM Nichols teaches everything from music theory and composition to Broadway and classical music to The Beatles and Frank Zappa. Nichols serves on the board of the Machias Bay Chamber Concerts and is the band leader of many local music groups including the Machias Town Band, Community Chorale, and the UMM Ukulele Club.

FOUNDATION PARTNER AWARD - QUIMBY FAMILY

This year’s Foundation Partner Award will recognize the many years of contributions by the Quimby Family to the arts and cultural community throughout Maine. In addition to dozens of cultural institutions across the state, the Foundation has supported MAMM’s efforts to provide music education to young people in Machias throughout a variety of afterschool programs. “We really can’t overstate the incredible contribution the Quimby Family Foundation has made to enriching the arts and cultural community throughout Maine,” said MAMM Board President Deb Ivy.

This video above features MAMM board member Tora Johnson who tells the story of how MAMM transformed her son Wolf's life and acknowledges the importance of supporting such music enrichment programs in rural Maine. Funding from foundations such as the Quimby Family's make opportunities such as these accessible to low income families in Down East Maine and beyond.

MUSIC COMMUNITY LEADER AWARD - MARK CURDO

Photo Credit: Francois Gagne

Mark Curdo, host of WCYY’s local music show Spinout, is receiving the 2017 Music Community Leader award. “Mark has gone above and beyond to introduce Maine artists to new audiences throughout the state and beyond,” said Shaw. Curdo also hosts Markathon, a week-long residency at WCYY, to raise money for local nonprofits. He is a graduate of St Joseph’s College and currently does branding and promotions for Shipyard Brewing Company.

ABOUT MAMM'S OUTREACH PROGRAMS

In addition to its popular after school programs such as private lessons, ensembles, and its MAMMOTH series, MAMM also provides music education programs to schools, civic organizations, and other non-profit organizations, providing hands-on instrument workshops, artist-in-residency programs, private concerts, ensemble direction, workshops, and master classes to hundreds of Maine students across the state. Partners include the Long Creek Youth Development Center, Preble Street Teen Center, The REAL School, the Maine Seacoast Mission's EdGE after school program, and others.